Erislandy Lara Santoya

Cuban boxer, world champion of the World Boxing Association (WBA) in the super welterweight category.

After losing to Lorenzo Aragón in 2003 and 2004, Lara obtained the national title in 2005, when he defeated Yudel Jhonson.

That same year in July he participated in the World Cup in Moscow, Russia, where he won the silver medal by falling in the final against Russian Andrey Balanov.

A few weeks later, in November, Lara obtained the gold medal at the World Championship in Myangyang, China. There he won in six fights, the last one against Belarusian Magomed Nurudinov (24-9).

Before the Pan American Games, held in Brazil in 2007, Lara abandoned the Cuban delegation along with fellow lefty and two-time world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux.

On July 4, 2008, Lara obtained his first victory in professional boxing, defeating Ivan Melaslov by points in four rounds in Ankara, Turkey. Subsequently he had a streak of 16 victories, until he drew with Mexican Carlos "King" Molina on March 25, 2011, in Las Vegas, where the Caribbean lefty did not have his best performance. Two judges scored it a draw at 95 and the other favored Molina 97-93.

Three months later, Lara faced former American world champion Paul Williams in Atlantic City, where despite winning clearly, his opponent was awarded a majority victory. Judges Don Givens (116-114) and Hilton Whitaker (115-114) favored the American, while Al Bennett scored it a draw at 114.

The indisputable superiority shown by Lara and the scandal of the result led to a review of the fight, which resulted in the suspension of the three judges, although the decision remained unchanged and marked the first and only setback of the Cuban in his career up to that date.

Nine months after the shameful decision, Lara returned to the ring with an impressive knockout victory in the first round against American Ronald Hearns at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The fight between Lara and Hearns, held on April 20, 2012, was a semifinal eliminator in the super welterweight division, corresponding to the World Council (CMB).

Next, the Cuban star defeated Freddy Hernández by unanimous decision on June 30 of that same year in Indio, California. But later Lara could only draw with Vanez Martirosyan on November 10 in an eliminator fight for the 154-pound crown.

An accidental headbutt by the Cuban to Martirosyan in the ninth round caused a wound that forced the fight to be suspended. The three officials showed opposite scorecards at the moment the action stopped. One favored Lara, the other favored Martirosyan, and the third granted a draw.

Subsequently, Lara defeated Mexican Alfredo "El Perro" Angulo by technical knockout in the tenth round on June 8, 2013, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, where they disputed the interim super welterweight title of the World Association (WBA). The "American Dream" Lara went down to the canvas in the fourth and ninth rounds, but Angulo abandoned the fight in the tenth with his eyes closed and his face completely swollen.

Lara then had an excellent performance against American Austin "No Doubt" Trout on December 7, 2013, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which allowed him to retain the interim WBA belt.

Lara is represented by Al Haymon and Luis Decubas Jr.

In March 2014, the Cuban, being interim super welterweight champion of the World Boxing Association (WBA), was promoted to regular world champion in this same category.

On July 12, 2014, he fights Mexican Saul Alvarez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a fight with no title at stake at an agreed weight of 155 pounds, a controversial fight in which the Mexican prevails on the scorecards by split decision. The judges score 115-113 for Lara and 115-113 and 117-111 for Saul Alvarez.

On December 12, 2014, Lara defends his WBA super welterweight title against American Ishie Smith at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, scoring a victory by unanimous decision.

On June 13, 2015, Lara retained his world champion belt in the junior middleweight division of the WBA after imposing himself by a strong unanimous decision over Dominican Delvin Rodríguez in the main event of the card held at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.

On November 25, 2015, Lara defeated Slovenian Jan Zaveck by TKO in Florida (USA).

The Cuban boxer retained his WBA world belt in the super welterweight division after defeating American Vanes Martirosyan at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (USA). The victory was by points through unanimous decision. The Cuban got his revenge for the no-contest fight he had against the same opponent in 2012.

In 2020, the champion retains the title after defeating Greg Vendetti in Los Angeles by unanimous decision in 12 rounds.